Black Cat
| voice = Jennifer Hale | other = }} :You may be looking for the episode . Felicia Hardy is the rich heir to the Hardy Foundation who masquerades as the superhero Black Cat. Biography Early Life Felicia is the daughter of Anastasia Hardy and Walter Hardesky. Her father was a wanted criminal who eventually turned himself into S.H.I.E.L.D. before she had a chance to remember anything about him. She grew up in the lap of luxury. Her mother ran the Hardy Foundation and was on the board of directors of Oscorp Industries. They lived in an enormous mansion just outside of New York City. Quite intelligent herself, she was accepted into Empire State University. Charity Ball Felicia met with J. Jonah Jameson after the latter became involved with a charity ball attached to her family's name. Due to this, she stressed over the arrangements, annoying him to an extent due to the prices of the festivity. Felicia brought up a possible photographer and Jameson promised Peter Parker was his very best one. Peter joined them and Felicia revealed the pair knew each other as they were both students of Empire State. Calling him just as unpredictable as ever, she reiterated Jameson's claim that he was his best photographer and left and assured that Peter would not disappoint her looking forward to seeing him that night. At the charity ball, Felicia interrupted a conversation between Harry Osborn and Flash Thompson as she took the latter away so they could begin dancing together, expressing to him that everything was going well. She was beginning to discuss Jameson before taking notice of the arriving Peter and also catching a glimpse of his aunt May Parker, whose identity was unknown to her as she had previously never met her before. While Flash made fun of Peter's "date," Felicia found it sweet and went over to them to find out who she was. Felicia complimented Peter before becoming acquainted with his aunt, who she asked if she could borrow her nephew. As she took Peter by the hands and led him in dancing with her. Though Peter insisted that he should have been taking pictures, Felicia tried to calm him by mentioning that she should be dancing with Flash as opposed to him. Impressed by his dancing skills, she complimented him further. Peter then revealed he was full of surprises. Admitting that she liked "surprises" and wanting to surprise him as well, she kissed him. Peter interrupted their moment of passion, which led to Felicia questioning him in concern, before the pair noticed what appeared to be Spider-Man walking into the ball, leading Felicia to question what he wanted. She ask for Peter to elaborate when he claimed that it was not Spider-Man and merely an impostor. After Peter interacted with him, the Black Widow Spider-Slayer attacked the ball causing massive collateral damage. Felicia called for Peter when he dashed to get May Parker to safety and tried to get the Spider-Slayer to stop by insisting that it was "ruining everything" before panicking as it closed in on her. Its attention was diverted when Spider-Man arrived, ordering the Spider-Slayer to leave Felicia alone and approach him instead. Sometime later in the aftermath of the attack, she learned that Flash had been the one impersonating Spider-Man at the charity ball and confronted him over it. She was disappointed that he would try a stunt like that and insisting that he refer to her by her last name when he tried to reason with her. As Peter returned, she addressed him as a coward for abandoning her and not being there for her as opposed to Spider-Man who she credited with saving her. She lamented that he was not half the man Spider-Man was as she walked off. She shortly afterward forgave Flash and finished a date with him a little bit after this. After he expressed that he enjoyed their date, she in turn remarked that it was natural that he would since she was the one he went out with. Harry interrupted the pair as they tried to kiss, being greeted by Felicia before he started to walk away. this caught the attention of the second Black Widow, which was soon noticed by Felicia. She asked Flash if it was another one of his pranks before the pair narrowly dodged its acid and ran in opposite directions as it directed its attention towards Flash. Flash was saved from the Spider-Slayer by Spider-Man, shortly afterward being comforted by Felicia. Kidnapping Felicia agreed to go on a date with Peter, surprising him as he thought she would still be hung-up over the Spider-Slayer incident. Felicia approached him after he knocked over a vase of flowers, mistaking him as having brought the ones that had fallen out as being for her. After Peter asked about the whereabouts of her mother, Felicia revealed that she was out buying a new yacht and in laughing at his joke, asked if they would take the convertible. After Peter reported that it was chilly outside, Felicia went to get a jacket and in going back upstairs and encountered Doctor Octopus. He grabbed her with his robotic tentacles ignoring her demands for him to let her go. Felicia's kidnapping was part of a plot by Octavius to collect ransom from her mother. She was taken to his lair, where she asked what he wanted from her and for his identity. Answering her question, he brought a tentacle close to her, provoking fear from Felicia who begged for him to stop and insisted that she had never done anything to him. Jameson was later captured alongside her and the pair were featured in a recording that Doctor Octopus sent to The Daily Bugle. Peter came to drop off the ransom. When Octavius spoke of his tentacles, Felicia openly expressed that they reminded her of Flash Thompson for being all hands. She later expressed concern for Peter when he denounced the villain as his mentor, which preceded the latter throwing him outside. Angry over this, Felicia called him a heartless freak, after which he threatened her with his tentacles. Spider-Man later attempted to save the pair from him and nearly had the two's molecules to be fried in order to pin Octavius down. Felicia called on Spider-Man to hurry in stopping such a thing from happening and he succeeded in saving the pair. Felicia hugged him as she asked about a way to thank him before going off to look for Peter. When calling for him, she found him and asked if he was okay. Peter asked if they could try another date, but Felicia told him that he had to understand that she did not usually allow herself to be taken hostage on a first date, the pair holding hands afterwards. Romantic Endeavors While walking home with Peter, Felicia expressed that she was not approving of the direction that their relationship was taking. She complimented him as being the only man she knew that was as versatile in his knowledge about various aspects of chemistry and though Peter mentioned the pair frequently studied together. Felicia clarified that they were only studying and it was not something she did with a boyfriend, leading Peter to question why she couldn't consider him as one. Felicia explained to Peter as his attention drew away to the man that was following him that she commonly had men asking her out but that a good tutor, which she considered him, was difficult to come across. Peter left her to confront the apparent stalker. Felicia noticed this after he had left and questioned who he thought he was in being able to leave her behind. Felicia was present at the "Animal in You" fashion show, where she participated by dressing up for it. She greeted Peter by hugging him and asked what he was doing there, to which he stated that his aunt gave her his invitation and asked her the same thing. She revealed it was a family foundation event as her mother was the chairperson and she was assisting her. Felicia was happy to see him, since she assumed he could take her to the party afterward. Though Peter tried to explain that he had a date with Mary Jane Watson after the event was finished, Felicia left him promising that she would talk to him later as she waived. Felicia noticed Peter leaving as he walked out the door, questioning why he was doing this. Some time later, Felicia encountered Peter and noticed him wearing a suit admitting that she almost did not recognize him due to his attire and expressing that he seemed so different. While Peter came on to her, Flash intervened by calling her his girl, though Felicia quickly removed his hands questioning what gave him that idea. She went back to locking eyes with Peter before Flash grabbed her again and led her away from Peter as he claimed the pair needed to talk. Though Flash tried to start their conversation, he cut himself off to address Peter after he insulted him and Felicia intervened when it appeared the two were about to start fighting as she reminded Flash that he had a class to get to. Felicia questioned Peter on what had gotten into him, revealing that he scared her before walking off with Flash. Felicia met with Peter after he arrived late on the campus of Empire State and was soon introduced to Michael Morbius as the latter introduced himself to her. Felicia rejected his attempt to kiss her hand and asked for him to "excuse" her and Peter as she took him by the arm, expressing her distaste with Michael and that she needed him to escort her to the opening of her mother's new science center that night. Peter asked her to clarify if she was asking him on a date, to which she explained that he was the only one who could explain "these boring science exhibits" to her and allowed him to call it a date. She gave him instructions on when to meet her, at 6:30 p.m. and tried to kiss him before Flash intervened, making it known that he thought Jameson's claims that Spider-Man was leading a group of villains were invalid. Felicia tried to seek out Peter's opinion, but he left, leaving her to call out for him. When that scheduled timed came and Peter failed to make an appearance, Felicia called his home and spoke to May Parker, asking about his whereabouts and leaving her with the request to have him contact her when he returned home. After hanging up, she was approached by a mugger, who took her purse and planned to run off with it were it not for the intervention of Morbius, who stopped the man in his tracks before he ran off, leaving Morbius and the purse behind as law enforcement arrived. Felicia asked if he was alright as she retrieved her purse and clarified that she was not Peter's girlfriend after Morbius addressed her as such, expressing further that she was not even sure she was his friend. After Morbius stated that she should not be on the streets by herself at night, Felicia asked if he would like to keep her company and the two held hands as she inquired about what he knew of regarding science. Peter later confronted her, apologizing for not being there for her. Though Felicia forgave him, insisting that it was "okay", Morbius revealed to Peter that the pair had started dating. Felicia stressed that the pair had to run as Morbius was taking her to a science exhibit, claiming that he made "everything seem so interesting", and mocked Peter by insisting that Morbius thought enough of her to be there on time, as opposed to him. She bid Peter farewell as the pair walked off together. A frightened Felicia wandered into a lab before being approached by Morbius, who she turned down when he tried to kiss her before kissing him back and later questioned why he pilfered equipment from Curt Conners' lab for what he was doing. She looked over to a device he had, asking if it was a neogenic as he mentioned that the school's power was being used to power his devices without their knowledge. This lead Felicia to question if that made him feel guilty and asked if it would be better for him to just work in the school's lab, rather than having the secrecy which she felt compelled to question him about as well. After Morbious revealed his motivations as being fueled in the poverty he had seen throughout his home country, Felicia sympathized with him and was scared by one of his bats, causing her to seek his comfort with a hug. The two then went over to his bats and she was further scared when he said they were vampires. Though Michael expressed that he would never let anything harm her, Felicia in turn stated her trust in him, but distrust for the bats that he was using for his experimenting. Felicia was later visited by Peter, who started to look through her windows as he inquired about the last time she had seen Morbius and then mentioned that something had happened to him. Felicia was skeptical, questioning what he was talking about as he told her that she had to stay away from Morbius since he was dangerous. Felicia removed his hands from her shoulders as she expressed that she had thought he was "bigger than this" and let him out. She believed he was jealous of their relationship and was trying to break it off by making false allegations that he thought would scare her away from Morbius, further ordering him to get out and then threatening to call the police as she shut the door on him. As Felicia returned to tending to her reading, the mutated, now-vampire Morbius confronted her. Felicia was terrified of him and fell over as he struggled with touching her. She ran out of the room as he was confronted by Spider-Man. After the effects of the mutation wore off for the time being and Morbius was admitted to a hospital, Felicia paid him a visit. After Morbius was found to not be in his hospital bed and law enforcement arrived to investigate, Felicia suggested Spider-Man's possible involvement as he was the one who put him there "in the first place." Morbius later reappeared outside the hospital, having left initially when his vampire powers returned to him, as he hanged from a building and was observed by Felicia and members of the media alongside law enforcement. Felicia incorrectly identified him as Spider-Man, citing that only he had abilities that would allow him to stick to walls. She dated Michael Morbius before he became a vampire. She refused to join him in immortality because she refused to feed on innocent people. While traveling with her mother, they were attacked by Green Goblin. When Spider-Man intervened, Green Goblin let Felicia go so he could kidnap Anastasia. Spider-Man saved her mother along with others including Jameson, entrepreneur Wilson Fisk, and fellow Empire State student Mary Jane Watson. As a thank you, she kissed Spider-Man when he visited her. However, they were interrupted by a robbery by Big Wheel. She dated and later became engaged to Jason Philips. He was able to overlook her affection for Spider-Man. He once tried to defend her when they were robbed by Spot, but he was overpowered and they were saved by Spider-Man. After their engagement party, Felicia discovered a hidden room in the mansion that contained the weaponry of Hobgoblin. The supervillain appeared and revealed that he was Jason, actually named Jason Philip Macendale, and that all his fortune came from crime. Soon after, they were both kidnapped by Green Goblin. They were saved by Spider-Man and Jason confessed that he merely liked her for her money and status. As he was being arrested, she confessed to Spider-Man that she was like a black cat, bringing misery to whoever she opened her heart to. Superhero Life Kingpin found John Hardesky in S.H.I.E.L.D. prison and released him thanks to Chameleon. He blackmailed Hardesky into recreating the Super-Soldier Serum that created Captain America. He kidnapped Felicia to ensure his compliance, and forced John to use the formula on her. The result of the test was that she gained the powers of a super soldier, increased strength, speed, agility and reflexes. She later learned that with these gifts came great responsibility. She teamed with Spider-Man and helped him and Peter deal with the loss of Mary Jane, until she decided to help Morbius and Blade rid the world of vampires. Later attempts to rekindle her relationship with Spider-Man failed. Realizing there was no place for her in New York, she returned to help Morbius and Blade fight vampires. Later, Spider-Man used the Beyonder's teleportation machine to bring her to an alien planet during the Secret Wars. She joined the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Curt Connors in his Lizard's form, the X-Man Storm, and even Captain America. She and Cap shared a brief moment because of the relationship between their origins. She helped against the Red Skull and Doctor Octopus. She was later returned to Earth with no memory of what had happened after a fight with Doctor Doom. Personality Felicia had a stunning confidence, believing that dates with her were naturally good. Felicia could be assertive and displayed this trait well when attracted to someone. She would waste no time in making it known how she felt, as she grabbed Peter to initiate a dance with him, in the process brushing aside introducing herself to his aunt May Parker and was quick to kiss him, another example of her bold behavior. In keeping with this trait, she displayed courage as well when confronting the Black Widow, being the only person to bother trying to reason with it and also the only one apart from Spider-Man that did not immediately cower when seeing it. If she felt a certain way about someone that was not romantic, she would speak on it, as she criticized and scolded both Peter and Flash for their actions at the charity ball and left both with the message that she did not approve of their behavior. This skill allowed her to outright tell Peter that she was not interested in him romantically. Despite wanting to cut off that connection, she was smart enough to realize that he was an asset to her and recommended that the pair still communicate with her taking the role as a student to his teacher, recognizing his talent for knowing much about chemistry. Despite being mad at Flash over his impersonation of Spider-Man, which she saw as a diversion to the true purpose of the charity ball, it did not take long for her to forgive him and move on the from the incident. This shows her as being a person that chooses not to hold grudges and is accepting that people make mistakes. She did the same for Peter, who she initially felt had abandoned her. In other parts of their lives, he had been important to her as a friend that helped her to succeed in school by tutoring. But while Peter found her attractive, Felicia could not be bothered to feel the same way about him due to the fact that she was so commonly approached by men, that the thought of another love interest was enough to annoy her. A consistency in her traits was not allowing herself to be tied down and quickly rotating between relationships. She was on and off with most of her boyfriends and would often go from one to the other when disappointed with their failure to conform to her standards, evidenced by her quickly rekindling her friendship with Peter before denying being friends with him in the first place to Michael Morbius after he failed to show up for a meeting with her and soon afterward, having Morbius to replace Peter in the role of her companion for the night. Though strong and independent, she could become insecure about her ability to handle what she was dealt in life, which prompted her to seek support from others. She related to Spider-Man because he was around when she started to fall into despair over what she felt was her life being ruined by current events and changing situations that she could not avoid. When she was not able to get the support she needed or sought, she would continue her downward spiral by questioning herself and reflecting on what she believed may have led her to the way she felt. After Spider-Man left her, she thought about the possibility that her attraction to mysterious men may have been a factor in the negativity of her life. Powers Thanks to the super soldier serum Felicia has the ability to morph her body between Felicia Hardy and Black Cat. While in her Felicia form she has no powers. But when she morphs into the Black Cat she gains super-human strength and agility. Her body also becomes more muscular and her hair becomes white. Similar to Spider-Man's webshooters, Black Cat has a grappling hook that she uses to swing through the city. Before morphing into the Black Cat, Felicia puts on a black catsuit. Relationships Anastasia Hardy Anastasia and Felicia love each other. Though they often argue about important issues, especially since Anastasia knows more than she tells and this often gets the two into trouble. John Hardesky Felicia loves her father. However, he had been held by S.H.I.E.L.D. for many years. John and Felicia hated to leave each other again but John knew it was for the best. Peter Parker Felicia has gone out on several dates with Peter but it never became serious. She often views him as weak and cowardly as he is constantly leaving when danger arrives. Their first date was interrupted before it started when Doctor Octopus kidnapped her. He once spurned Mary Jane to comfort her when Michael disappeared. Spider-Man As Felicia Unaware that Spider-Man was really Peter Parker, Felicia fell in love with the webhead. Though they both knew that nothing could ever come from it due to his superhero duties. As Black Cat When she gained her powers Felicia was finally able to establish a greater relationship with the wallcrawler, even though he did not know the Cat was Felicia. They became partners in crimefighting and he came to depend on her, even recruiting her for the Secret Wars. Though when Michael and Mary Jane returned the two went their separate ways. Michael Morbius Felicia regards Michael as the love of her life. She was torn when he first disappeared and greatly missed him when he mutated further and left. When he came back she stopped her ongoing relationship with Spider-Man to be with him. Black Cat followed Michael when he went away with Blade to fight vampires. Background Felicia was voiced by Jennifer Hale. Since the series chose not to use Gwen Stacy, Felicia filled her role as the rival to Mary Jane Watson for the affection of Peter Parker. In the Comics Her father's name is Walter Hardy. The grappling hook she has was made by him for his crimes. She was raped by her college boyfriend, which led her to learning fighting styles and acrobatics since she did not want to be helpless like that again. She intended to get her revenge on him, but he died in a drunk driving accident. Knowing who her father was her whole life, she used her developed skills to become Black Cat. She learned that Kingpin developed a weapon that could destroy New York City. Owl wanted to use it to take the city hostage while Doctor Octopus wanted to actually destroy the city. She decided to prove herself by stealing the device, which she gave to Spider-Man. Octavius got his revenge by severely hurting her, and Spider-Man rushed her to the hospital where he realized how much he cared for her. Spider-Man eventually revealed his identity to her. While she liked Spider-Man, she thought Peter Parker was too much of a geek and broke off their relationship. Black Cat was not part of the Secret Wars. During that time she sought to acquire actual powers so she could be more in Spider-Man's league. Eventually she got them from Kingpin. Ashamed, she sought Spider-Man at the Avengers Mansion, but he was away on Battleworld. Vision offered to make her an Avenger, but she declined. When Peter returned, Kingpin's revenge happened and her powers caused bad luck for her and Spider-Man. Eventually, he sought Doctor Strange's help who lifted the bad luck part of her powers while affecting her other powers. She once battled Sabretooth. External links *Marvel *Wikipedia *Felicia Hardy (Earth-92131) at Marvel Database *Felicia Hardy (Earth-616) at Marvel Database Category:Heroes Category:Spider-Man Heroes Category:Empire State University Category:Vampire Hunters Category:Hardy Foundation